• A new Infotrak poll reveals that 73% of Kenyans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, up from 50% in September
• Only 11% of respondents feel the country is on the right track, reflecting a sharp drop in optimism compared to 19% in September
• Nairobi recorded the highest dissatisfaction at 78%, followed closely by North Eastern (77%), Central, and Eastern regions, each recording 76%
• Key reasons for the negative feelings include bad politics, poor governance (63%), and the high cost of living (43%)

Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Nairobi – A new opinion poll by Infotrak has revealed that 73% of Kenyans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction.

This reflects a significant increase from 50% recorded in September, with only 11% of respondents feeling that the country is on the right track; a drop from 19% who expressed optimism in September.

According to the survey, there is a growing dissatisfaction among Kenyans, with an alarming shift in public sentiment since May 2024, when 63% believed the nation was on the wrong path.

When the same question was posed to Kenyans in September 2023, 53% of respondents expressed similar concerns, highlighting a worsening trend.

The discontent was most pronounced in Nairobi, where 78% of respondents said the country is heading in the wrong direction.

This feeling was mirrored in North Eastern (77%), Central and Eastern regions (both 76%), and President William Ruto’s Rift Valley political base recorded 72%.

Older Kenyans, particularly those between 46-55 years, were the most pessimistic, with 81% stating that the country is moving in the wrong direction.

Read also

CBK governor explains factors behind stable Kenya shilling and growing forex reserves

The younger generation, aged 27-35 years, followed closely at 76%, while 74% of those aged 36-45 years also expressed dissatisfaction.

Why do Kenyans feel country is on the wrong direction

The top reasons cited for the country’s negative direction include bad politics and poor governance, with 63% of respondents attributing their concerns to these issues.

High cost of living was another key factor, reported by 43% of those surveyed, a shift from September 2024, when 77% of respondents identified it as their main concern.

The poll was conducted on October 9, 2024, using quantitative interviews through Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI).

It had a 98% response rate and covered all eight regions of Kenya, ensuring national representativeness with a margin of error of ±3.099% at a 95% degree of confidence.

Source: TUKO.co.ke